Azerbaijan, Baku, April 9 / Trend M. Aliyev /
Azerbaijan and Russia have managed to remove many differences on the Gabala radar station. An agreement will soon be reached to extend Russia's lease of the station, head of the Federation Council of the Russian Federation, Valentina Matvienko, who is on an official visit to Azerbaijan, said.
"Several rounds of negotiations have been held between the defence and foreign ministries of both countries," Matvienko said at a press conference in Baku. "A normal negotiating process is underway and many differences have been removed. Although several issues have to be resolved, a mutually acceptable solution should soon be found. So, I think that an agreement will be reached."
The Gabala radar station located in north-west Azerbaijan was built during the Soviet era as one of the most important elements of the USSR's missile defence system. After Azerbaijan gained independence the radar station become the country's property, although Russia continued to use it.
Previously, the Defence Ministry reported holding negotiations with Azerbaijan to extend the lease until 2025. The term of the lease agreement and exploitation conditions of this facility expires in December, 2012.
Earlier, General Director of Academician A.L. Mints Radio Engineering Institute Vladimir Savchenko talking to RIA Novosti said that Russia plans to complete the construction of a new radar station Voronezh-VP in Gabala, Azerbaijan in 2019.
According to Savchenko, this new station will replace the older Daryal a radar station.